But then he set his jaw, pumped his fist a lot and won the next three in a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 victory that was, in the long run, quite convincing.

“It was a positive match for me,” Spanish star Nadal said. “First thing, because I won. That’s the most important thing.”

It was the same for Federer, Williams and Sharapova. No matter how big a star you are, just getting that first-rounder out of the way, as well as the normal nerves that accompany it, makes for a good day.

Federer barely had to breathe heavily in his 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 rout of Italy’s Paolo Lorenzi.

Sharapova was even quicker than Williams. Fresh from her French Open title, her second at Roland Garros, she dispatched England’s Samantha Murray, 6-1, 6-0.

“As the match progressed, I got more comfortable,” Sharapova said.

All four of these superstars have dealt with recent demons at Wimbledon.

Nadal went out in the second round here two years ago, and in the first round last year against Lukas Rosol of the Czech Republic, his next opponent.

But he also has won this tournament twice, in 2008 and ’10, and has been in three other finals.

Federer has won here seven times but was upset in the second round last year. This year, he has added former star Stefan Edberg to his support team, and that prompted questions about the possibility of more serving-and-volleying, which was Edberg’s style.

“I think it could be that little extra piece to the puzzle that could bring me through … an extra option,” Federer said.

Williams, who has won five Wimbledon titles, lost to Sabine Lisicki of Germany in the fourth round last year. She also lost early in the French.

“Whenever I slip,” she said, “I try to get back up.”

Sharapova, who won her Wimbledon title 10 years ago as a 17-year-old, also had a bad slip here last year, losing in the second round.

“This is a new day,” she said. “It is not a new tournament, but it’s a new opportunity.”

There were 26 pitchers in baseball's 300-save club before Wednesday, an elite group headed by a right-hander who had the game's most devastating cut fastball (Mariano Rivera), another who had one of baseball's best changeups (Trevor Hoffman), and a left-hander who threw 98 mph (Billy Wagner).

A 5-2 win over Minnesota on Wednesday night proved costly for the Angels, who lost David Freese to a fractured right index finger, an injury that will sideline the third baseman for several weeks, and center fielder Daniel Robertson to right shoulder stiffness, an injury that is not serious.